Ice Chips: Sharks recall Askarov, Sabres send down G Levi
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Keep updated on all the injury news and roster updates from around the NHL with daily Ice Chips.
San Jose Sharks
The Sharks have recalled Yaroslav Askarov from the San Jose Barracuda.
The 22-year-old netminder has a 6-3-0 record in the AHL this season with a .939 save percentage and a 1.92 goals-against average.
Askarov was acquired by the Sharks from the Nashville Predators over the summer in exchange for a first-round pick and two other players after requesting a trade.
He appeared in two games with the Preds last season, recording a goals-against average of 1.47 with a .943 save percentage. He also appeared in one game the season before.
The Omsk, Russia native was selected No. 11 overall in the 2020 NHL Draft by the Predators.
Buffalo Sabres
The Sabres are sending goaltender Devon Levin to the Rochester Americans of the AHL.
“He needs to play, simple as that,” head coach Lindy Ruff said.
Levi is 2-5-0 with the Sabres this season with a .870 save percentage and a 3.95 goals-against average.
He went 10-8-2 last season with the Sabres, posting a .899 save percentage and a 3.10 GAA. The 22-year-old netminder also appeared in 23 games with the Americans last season.
Defenceman Isak Rosen was recalled to fill Levi's roster spot.
Philadelphia Flyers
The Flyers placed goaltender Samuel Ersson on injured reserve Monday with a lower-body injury.
Ersson has a 5-2-2 record this season with a .902 save percentage and a 2.70 goals-against average. The 25-year-old netminder has not played since a shootout win over the San Jose Sharks on Nov. 11, when he made 28 saves on 31 shots.
The Flyers also ruled out defenceman Emil Andrae for Monday's game against the Colorado Avalanche due to a mid-body injury. As a result, the Flyers recalled blueliner Helge Grans from the Lehigh Valley Phantoms on an emergency basis.
After a slow start to the campaign, the Flyers have improved to 8-8-2 entering Monday's game against Colorado.
Aleksei Kolosov will start against the Avalanche as he continues to look for his first win of the season. The 22-year-old is 0-3-0 with a .863 save percentage and a 3.92 GAA.
Edmonton Oilers
Oilers defenceman Darnell Nurse will likely be sidelined for the next five to 10 days after taking a high hit from Maple Leafs enforcer Ryan Reaves during Saturday's loss in Toronto.
The incident occurred at the 2:41 mark of the second period when Reaves caught Nurse with a high hit as the latter was attempting to carry the puck out from behind the net.
Nurse struggled to get to his feet and was bleeding on the play, The team announced he would not return to the game as Reaves was ejected and received a five-minute major penalty for an illegal check to the head and a game misconduct.
Reaves was suspended five games for an illegal check to the head on Sunday.
Nurse, 29, has two goals and seven assists over 18 games with the Oilers in 2024-25, his 11th season with the team.
Buffalo Sabres
Forward Tage Thompson was on the ice ahead of Monday's practice.
The 6-foot-6 centre was injured during the team's 7-5 loss to the Montreal Canadiens last Monday, recording an assist in just 6:49 of ice time.
Thompson, 27, remains day-to-day with a lower-body injury. He has 11 goals and 18 points in 16 games this season.
Montreal Canadiens
Samuel Montembeault will get the start in net when the Habs host the Edmonton Oilers on Monday night.
Ottawa Senators
Noah Gregor was absent was Monday's practice.
Gregor missed the team's 4-0 loss to the Carolina Hurricanes on Saturday. He has two goals and one assist in 16 games this season.
Boston Bruins
The Bruins have recalled forward Jeffrey Viel from the AHL's Providence Bruins. The 27-year-old last played in the NHL with the San Jose Sharks in 2022-23, recording no points in four games. The Rimouski, Que., native has three goals and two assists in 49 career NHL games.
He has two goals and two assists in 14 games with Providence this season.
Toronto Maple Leafs
Toronto Maple Leafs forward Calle Järnkrok underwent groin and sports hernia surgery and is considered month-to-month in his recovery.
He has yet to play a game this season. The 33-year-old native of Czech Republic scored 10 goals and added 11 assists over 52 games with the Maple Leafs in 2023-24, his second season with the organization. Jarnkrok didn't record a point in seven postseason games.
Head coach Craig Berube said Monday that captain Auston Matthews has not skated the past couple of days, making it more than a week that he's been off the ice.
"It's a little bit of a holding pattern, but he's not getting worse so that's a good thing. It's just taking time. It's taking long, but it is what it is," Berube said.
Matthews last played on Nov. 3, when the Maple Leafs lost 2-1 in overtime against the Minnesota Wild.
The Maple Leafs have played well with Matthews sidelined, posting a 5-1 record, including a 4-3 overtime victory over Connor McDavid and the Edmonton Oilers on Saturday.
Toronto will host the Vegas Golden Knights on Wednesday and the Utah Hockey Club next Sunday.
In 13 games this season, Matthews has five goals and 11 points. His 69 goals last season were the most in a single season since Mario Lemieux finished with 69 in the 1995-96 season.
Detroit Red Wings
Defenceman William Lagesson has been recalled from the AHL.
The 28-year-old has two goals and three assists in the minors this season.